


Lead the Way

by Magicalmanda



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Inception (2010), The Dark Knight Rises
Genre: Eames in limbo is Bane, M/M, slight crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:35:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22205740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magicalmanda/pseuds/Magicalmanda
Summary: "Someone is coming for me," Bane said. Barsad nodded.Or, Eames falls into limbo and Arthur goes after him.
Relationships: Arthur/Eames (Inception)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 57





	Lead the Way

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Lead the way](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29001414) by [FatimaAlegra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FatimaAlegra/pseuds/FatimaAlegra), [WTF Nolan Brothers 2021 (NolanBrothers)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NolanBrothers/pseuds/WTF%20Nolan%20Brothers%202021)



> I'm a decade late to the party but I love both of these fandoms
> 
> Cooked this up in a short amount of time so I think it's a little rough, but it's for fun

Bane was sitting near his fire, reviewing a map of Gotham when Barsad approached him. 

“Speak,” Bane commanded. 

“Four men were found dead in the tunnels, all shot. Two to the heart, one to the head.” Bane put the map down with a hum. 

“Someone is coming for me,” Bane said. Barsad nodded before continuing. 

“No one has been able to catch a glimpse; we have no idea what we’re dealing with.” 

“Go to the surface then,” Bane said as he rose from the floor. 

“Bane, it could be dozens of people, you ne-” 

“Do not think to tell me what I need. Go to the surface, complete your scouting.” Barsad paused but nodded before turning away. Bane extinguished his fire and stood, ready to wait for his would-be assassin. 

It didn’t take long for someone to appear in the shadows. Barsad must have cleared the tunnel the assailant was making their way through. 

“So, who has killed my man and plans to give me the same fate?” Bane asked the figure standing at the mouth of one of the tunnels. It moved slowly into the light and Bane thought briefly that the man looked like the young police detective, maybe a familial bond, but then the man was speaking. 

“Oh Eames, what happened?” The voice was low but soft, and worn, like the man was exhausted. Bane’s brows knit together and he stayed silent, suddenly unsure of what the man meant. The newcomer took a few steps forward. “Do you remember me?” Bane narrowed his eyes. The man was clearly armed but indicated no movement towards his weapons. His eyes were trained on Bane’s face but held guarded hope, not fear or hatred. 

“You look like Detective Blake, a relative perhaps?” Bane asked. 

“No sweetheart,” and the name shocked Bane to his core. He knew what that word meant, but no one had uttered it or any others like it to him, ever. Even Talia’s labels were ones of strength and determination, ‘protector,’ as she liked to call him. “I’m Arthur, remember?” Bane was angry now. 

“What do you want Arthur? Why do you come bearing these false names and misinformation?” 

“It’s me Eames, I’m here to bring you back. You fell, during the Fischer job.” 

“I have never fallen,” Bane spat, clenching his hands into fists. The man smartly took a step back and changed tactics. 

“Where are we? Can you tell me that?” Bane tried to heave a calming breath. 

“We are in Gotham city. Where we are specifically, I cannot tell you.” Something flashed on the man’s face. 

“Forgive me for wanting a little specificity.” Bane paused, something in the man’s words was familiar. It unsettled him but he did not let it show. 

“For the safety of my operation, I cannot divulge that information,” Bane informed him. 

“That’s okay.” They stood staring at each other for a moment. “What happened to your face?” The man, Arthur he had said, took a few steps toward Bane. His eyes were curious but not cunning. 

“It does not concern you, I will have one of my men return you to the surface.” 

“No thanks,” Arthur said easily and Bane was glad the mask hid his surprise. 

“No thanks? You wish to stay here, among the ranks of the men you murdered?” 

“I wish to stay with you,” Arthur said brazenly. 

“No,” 

“Why not?” 

“I have no use for you.” 

“You’re four men down and I’m a good shot.” 

“I do not trust you.” 

“Want me to prove it?” Arthur asked, drawing his gun. Bane was next to him in one stride and yanked his wrist up and away from his body. Arthur didn’t cry out, and instead locked his thighs around one of Bane’s and used his free hand to gently touch the mask. 

“What happened to you?” Arthur whispered before Bane could react, but then he was throwing the smaller man off him, fingers ghosting over his face to check for damage. One of his fingers came away wet and he realized the man had put a salve on the grill of the mask, where his air came in. He felt his knees weaken and he knew something was wrong. 

Bane staggered as he tried to get away from the man. His limbs were going numb. The man guided him to the floor as the toxin took effect. Bane was leaning against the wall, his arms limp at his side. He wasn’t able to talk, but his lungs were still working and he could see, could look at the man’s face as he hovered above him. 

“Eames,” the man said again, his voice more desperate now. “Don’t you remember me?” Bane tried to communicate through his eyes that he did not know this man, but he would kill him as soon as he got the chance. Arthur carefully settled into Bane’s lap, his slim thighs on either side of Bane’s larger ones. He gently pet over Bane’s scalp and the mercenary wanted to flinch away. 

“We were working on Inception,” Arthur said. Bane knew that word. Somehow knew what Arthur was referring to wasn’t the usual definition. “I-I don’t know what happened but you never woke up on my level. Everyone else did, even Cobb and Saito who had been limbo.” Bane could hear the man’s voice shake slightly. “It must have been the music, I must have timed it wrong. I’m so sorry Eames. It’s all my fault.” The feeling to reassure this man was so powerful that Bane was stunned for a moment. He wanted to wrap his arms around Arthur and assure him that he was perfect. “And now you’re down here as someone else and you don’t even _know_ me.” 

_I do know you darling_ Bane thought suddenly, surprising himself. How did he know this man? This man he had met only minutes ago was starting to feel so familiar to him. Bane could see Arthur sitting on a couch, a dark city skyline behind him. The Arthur in his mind turned suddenly and smiled. Bane’s heart fluttered when he realized that it was directed towards him. 

Then Arthur was laying on a beach with sunglasses and a small swimsuit. He was laughing at something. 

Arthur sick with a cold. Arthur drunk in a dive bar. Arthur naked under him. Arthur. He knew Arthur which meant... which meant that he was... 

“Eames,” Arthur sobbed into Eames’ shoulder. 

“D-darling,” Eames rasped softly. Arthur’s head shot up, his eyes wide and shining with hope. 

“Eames?” 

“Arthur.” Eames felt his whole body shift and something heavy fell off his face and into their laps but he didn’t stop to look because Arthur was kissing him. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Arthur said against his lips. Eames wrapped his arms around Arthur’s slight frame. 

“Lead the way.”


End file.
